NFL: Patriots' turnover differential translates into success

It has become their calling card. No, not a power spike by Rob Gronkowski or a sack celebration by Chandler Jones.

We’re talking turnovers, and the lack thereof.

The Patriots lead the league with a plus-24 turnover differential. They rank second with 32 takeaways, having recorded at least one in all 11 games, and first with just eight giveaways.

“It’s something we talk about a lot,” quarterback Tom Brady said. “There’s nothing more important than possession of the football. Our defense has done an incredible job taking it away. The offense has done a great job of keeping the ball away from the defense.

“It’s a point of emphasis every day in practice. It’s a point of emphasis going into every game, like most teams. It’s probably the one stat that correlates to winning and losing more than any other.”

The Patriots finished with a plus turnover differential in 26 of their first 52 seasons. They had a winning record in 24 of those years.

Of the 20 playoff appearances in franchise history, only two (1978, 2005) came while posting a negative differential.

The Patriots are 101-6 (.944) since 2001 when winning the turnover battle. Oddly, two of the losses — to Arizona in Week 2 and Baltimore in Week 3 — occurred this season.

And it’s not just that the defense has been coming up with the ball. It’s what the offense has done after being handed it.

Of the Patriots’ league-leading 407 points, 107 have been scored following takeaways.

“Well, complementary football is always important for us,” Brady said. “I think that’s what happens: You make a great play on defense and get us the ball and, bam, you capitalize on it with points. I think to go back out there in three plays and kick it back to them or turn it back over to them is bad football.”

With Drew Brees coming up empty Thursday, Brady now has the longest active streak in the league for consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass. That would be 43, which ranks third behind Brees (54) and Johnny Unitas (47).

Brady has thrown for 99 touchdowns during the streak, which began with a season-opening, 38-24 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010. He has had at least two TD tosses in 34 games.

The streak that’s more meaningful to Brady is the one that would be extended today with a win in Miami. A victory would guarantee the Patriots a winning record for the 12th consecutive season.

Brady obviously has been instrumental in what will soon be the third-longest run of sustained success in league history. His coach, in typical fashion, downplayed the impact any individual has had on the team’s triumphs over the last decade.

“Tom has been a great player for us, (but) we won 11 games without him in 2008,” Bill Belichick pointed out. “I think it really just speaks to the entire organization more than it’s about me or Tom or somebody else.”

However, having continuity at the position hasn’t hurt.

“Each team, each player, has their own strengths and weaknesses, but if you can count on somebody being there on a consistent basis, then you can plan and work around that to a certain degree,” Belichick said. “Tom has a lot of strengths, he does a lot of things well, so there aren’t a lot of limiting factors with him. Really, it opens a lot of doors more than closes them.”

They’ll hand out AFC East champion hats and T-shirts to the Patriots players once the division is clinched, but it has been quite a while since they celebrated that kind of title in the New England locker room.

The significance, though, can’t be diminished because winning one’s division ensures automatic entry to the exclusive postseason party that’s limited to 12 invitees. That’s a gala Brandon Lloyd has yet to attend since entering the league in 2003.

(Lloyd was a member of the Washington Redskins when they reached the playoffs in 2007, but he spent the second half of the season on injured reserve. That’s the closest he has come.)

So this is uncharted territory for the first-year Patriot. He’s trying his best to make like it’s familiar turf.

“I’m pretty much trying to act like it’s normal,” Lloyd said. “It’s definitely new for me, but I’m preparing every day and going into the games on the weekend just like it’s normal.”

He credits the coaching staff for making that happen.

“It’s the focus on the details and doing my part individually,” Lloyd said. “It’s the information we get during the week that helps us prepare for the situational battles that present themselves during the game. So that’s how they help us, just focusing on the individual battles and dealing with what my part is going to be on Sunday.”

Some quick hits and (hopefully) useful numbers with regard to this week’s games: Jaguars QB Chad Henne has passed for 615 yards and six touchdowns with one interception in the past two games — an overtime loss to the Texans and a win over the Titans. … Seahawks QB Russell Wilson has thrown 12 touchdowns and two interceptions in the last six games. The Seahawks are 1-5 on the road, the losses coming by 4, 6, 7, 4 and 3 points. … The Packers have won the last four meetings with the Vikings by 4, 28, 6 and 38 points. … The 49ers and Rams tied, 24-24, three weeks ago. Four of the last five meetings have been decided by eight points or less and two went to overtime. … The Texans and Titans have split the last four season series. The Texans won Round 1 this year, 38-14, and are 5-0 on the road. … The Broncos had scored 30-plus points in five straight games before being held to 17 last week. The Buccaneers are averaging 32.6 points in their last seven games. … Ten of the past 12 games between the Ravens and Steelers have been decided by seven points or less, including a 13-10 Baltimore victory two weeks ago. … Bengals QB Andy Dalton has nine touchdowns, no interceptions and three wins in the last three games.

•I’ve never seen a player go from having so many detractors to so many supporters so quickly. And it all took was for Alex Smith to lose a job a lot of folks thought he wasn’t good enough to have in the first place.

•If I had a Heisman Trophy vote, it would go to Notre Dame senior linebacker Manti Te’o. Here are two numbers to digest: He’s the No. 1 player on the No. 1 team in the country.

•Want to blame someone for Rajon Rondo’s ejection and suspension? Try Kevin Garnett, who completely overplayed the bump by Kris Humphries and needlessly created an ugly situation.

•With its Super Bowl win yesterday, the Auburn High football team has won 62 of its last 63 games (.984) since 2008. What a great job Jeff Cormier has done building a program.

Material used in this report was collected from personal interviews, wire services, websites, and league and team sources. Rich Garven can be reached by e-mail at rich.garven@verizon.net or rgarven@telegram.com.